The present invention relates to the field of swimming pools and spas and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method for detecting leaks in pools and spas. The invention is equally applicable to detecting leaks in other containers for liquids.
Swimming pools and spas have become quite popular and are common not only in public facilities but also in private homes. Occasionally, a swimming pool or spa appears to be losing water and the owner must determine whether the loss is due to an undetected leak.
Pool and spa leaks in most cases are frustrating to diagnose. It is also quite time consuming to test a pool or spa for a leak, for example usually requiring two to three days of checking. Additionally, after a known leak has been repaired the pool or spa requires monitoring over a period of time to measure any incremental drop in pool level (due to loss of water) in inches or fractions of inch. Such monitoring is typically accomplished over at least a twenty four hour period.
It is well known throughout the pool industry that leak detection almost always requires burdensome and redundant monitoring to establish traceable leakage. Various types of interferences may hamper the monitoring effort, for example, rain, customer neglect, or travel distances for monitoring personnel.
With the foregoing in mind, the present invention advantageously provides an apparatus for detecting water loss from a swimming pool or spa. The apparatus comprises a first container, a substantially waterproof load cell, and a second container. The first container has an upper end, a lower end, an inner cavity and at least one opening allowing swimming pool water to flow in and out of the inner cavity. The substantially waterproof load cell is positioned within the inner cavity of the first container for measuring weight bearing thereon. The second container has an upper end, a lower end, and an inner cavity closed to water flow, the second container being positioned within the inner cavity of the first container having its lower end upon said load cell so as to bear weight thereon. This apparatus, of course, may be employed for leak detection of a liquid contained in any other large container, not just in pools and spas.
A method aspect of the invention is useful for detecting loss of a contained liquid from a container. The method comprises segregating a fractional volume of the contained liquid so as to extend above a surface of a total volume of contained liquid; weighing the fractional volume; holding the fractional volume segregated during a predetermined time; and detecting a sufficient increase in weight of the segregated fractional volume relative to the total volume during the predetermined time to thereby indicate loss of contained liquid due to a leak in the container.